Eudoxia
Eudoxia is a vampire who appears in Blood and Gold. After the fall of Rome, Marius de Romanus, Avicus and Mael move to Constantinople along with Those Who Must Be Kept. Less than six months after their arrival, they are contacted by two young male vampires, Asphar and Rashid. Marius goes out to greet them, seeing they couldn't have been more than thirteen when they were made immortal. One of the two hands Marius a scroll written in Greek by their mistress Eudoxia, who invites all three of them to come to her palace. When they arrive, Eudoxia tells them her story. Biography Early Life She was born into a prominent Greek family who were among the first settlers from Athens to make their way to Alexandria. Though living a sheltered life, her father had her educated to be able to read and write so they could communicate when she left to be married. When she was fifteen, a marriage was arranged but a month before the wedding, she was kidnapped from her home during the night by a group of men. Eudoxia instinctively knew they were hired by her stepmother, believing she was going to be killed. While the men argue amongst themselves how much each is going to be paid for his role in the kidnapping, they are attacked and killed by a vampire. When this vampire notices Eudoxia staring at him, he immediately makes her into a vampire. She never mentions his name, instead referring to him as her Maker (later in The Vampire Chronicles his name is revealed to be Cyril). Eudoxia describes him as being never civil or kind, but never terribly cruel either. Every night he would cut off her long hair (which would always grow back the next day when she awoke) and have her dress as a boy, as though appearing female was intolerable to him. Life As a Vampire After a few years together, one night her Maker refrains from cutting off her hair and takes her to a discreet part of the city where Those Who Must Be Kept resided. Her Maker crudely argues with the other vampires in the residence who he referred to as "Temple Blood Drinkers". It's apparent to Eudoxia they were less powerful and afraid of her Maker. Wanting to be rid of Eudoxia, her Maker forces her to kneel before Akasha and Enkil, knowing if Akasha allows Eudoxia to drink from her, her strength would be greatly increased. Akasha makes an unmistakable beckoning gesture and Eudoxia drinks from her neck, an act Eudoxia emphasizes to Marius she would then do more than once. Abandoned by her Maker, Eudoxia declines to stay in the temple despite the coaxing of the temple priests, one of whom Eudoxia reveals was the Elder who would later expose the Mother and Father to the sun, causing the Great Fire. The thought of testing the idea if Akasha should burn, so would all vampires in the world, tantalized him. Determined to make a new life for herself, Eudoxia sends word to the schools and marketplace that she would write letters for people and would copy books during the night while all other copyists would stop and go home once daylight ended. It was through this occupation that she would learn the ways of humans and of the world. On many evenings her house was filled with banqueting guests, events she greatly enjoyed. While in Alexandria, Eudoxia fell in love with a young man who shared the same love for her. She made him into a blood drinker and the two went to Ephesus, the homeland of his family. There, together they were very happy until the Great Fire destroyed him and she was left alone. Being a vampire of many years and having drunk directly from Akasha, Eudoxia was burned but not destroyed. Time healed her wounds, wounds that would have healed faster had she drank directly from Akasha again, but by the time she made her way to Alexandria, the Mother and Father were gone, whisked away by Marius. Finished telling the story of her life, Eudoxia then demands Marius give over the Mother and Father to her. The demand shocks Avicus, Mael and Marius. When asked why make such a demand, Eudoxia plainly states she wants the power within Akasha's blood and to prevent another event like the Great Fire from happening again. Marius asks for time to make his final decision, but Eudoxia angrily refuses and demands an immediate answer or she will destroy all three of them, claiming she is far stronger than Marius, and infinitely stronger than Avicus and Mael. Eudoxia then turns her gaze at Avicus. Realizing her intent to destroy him, Marius immediately attacks Eudoxia, grabbing her wrists, pushing her down to the floor. A battle ensues. Marius can feel a force of heat from Eudoxia trying to destroy him, but he repels it to back to her. Immobilized on the floor, Asphar and Rashid come to her aid carrying swords. Marius desperately tries to look for an oil lamp to throw at them, but before he can make the attempt, the thought of wanting to burn them causes Rashid to burst into flames. It is at that moment Marius realizes he possesses the Fire Gift and is more powerful than Eudoxia, despite her being over three hundred years older than him because he drank more blood from Akasha than she has. He then turns to Asphar but Eudoxia calls out for him to stop. At a stalemate, Marius and Eudoxia agree to have their case presented to the Mother and Father and let them decide who shall watch over them. Marius goes to the Divine Parents in the shrine hidden beneath his house. In a knelt position speaking in a low voice, he respectively presents the situation. He asks for a sign from them what they want. Marius then asks Akasha for her blood, explaining he needs it now if he is to battle Eudoxia again. Akasha remains still like a statue, making no beckoning gesture. Marius decides to take a chance and cautiously drinks from Akasha's neck. Akasha and Enkil allow this which Marius takes as a sign that they do not want to be given over to Eudoxia. The next evening, Eudoxia, Asphar and two other young male blood drinkers come to Marius' house uninvited. She asks Marius to be taken to the shrine to the Divine Parents to which Marius agrees. When Eudoxia sees the Divine Parents again for the first time in over three hundred years, she is swept by the moment and emotionally offers herself as a sacrifice as she walks towards them. Marius quietly warns her to stop and to step back, but she ignores him and continues to approach Akasha. In a flash, Akasha grabs Eudoxia and feeds from her. She is rescued by Marius who pulls Eudoxia away, begging Akasha to stop. Greatly weakened by the exsanguination, Eudoxia orders her slaves to bring her a human to feed on. They come back with a wealthy merchant who begs for his life and offers them money if they spare him. Unmoved by his pleas, Eudoxia feeds on him until his death. Much recovered from the feeding, Eudoxia's slaves take the body away and they all exit Marius's house. Soon after, an angry mob surrounds Marius's house, shouting that he killed the merchant and left his dead body out in the open to rot. Marius, Avicus and Mael have just enough time to retreat to the secure shrine underneath the house and can only listen helplessly while their house is being ransacked and looted before being burned to the ground. Her Death Marius, furious at Eudoxia for setting them up for the merchant's murder, storms into her palace. Using the Fire Gift, he destroys all blood drinkers in his sight, despite Eudoxia telling him to stop. He then grabs Eudoxia and carries her to the remains of his home while fending off her attacks trying to burn him using her Fire Gift. He brings her down to the underground shrine and offers her to Akasha who quickly grabs her and drains her of her blood. Eudoxia falls to the floor but her preternatural body isn't dead for only fire could ensure that. Suddenly, flames erupt from her chest which spread to the rest of her body as Akasha lights it aflame. This is the first time Akasha has done this to another blood drinker, when before she would use an oil lamp to set their bodies on fire, including the Elder who put her body out in the sun. Marius speculates Akasha herself was unaware she had this power until she was told by Marius of the battle between him and Eudoxia using fire that emanated from themselves. Image Gallery Category:Vampires Category:Female Characters Category:Characters in Blood and Gold